Dehra Dun: Six people were killed and 18 others injured when an under-construction bridge over the river Alaknanda collapsed near Srinagar town in Uttarakhand`s Pauri district on Sunday, prompting Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna to order a magisterial inquiry.
The Choras bridge collapsed in the wee hours when several labourers were working there, Pauri District Magistrate M C Upreti said, adding the reason for the collapse was not immediately known.

He said all the six bodies have been retrieved.

The state government sent a helicopter to Srinagar area to rush the injured people to a private hospital in Dehradun where condition of some of them was stated to be critical.

"I am concerned over what happened. I have already ordered a helicopter," Bahuguna told reporters here before leaving for Srinagar to take stock of the situation. He was accompanied by Union Minister Harish Rawat.

Ordering a magisterial inquiry into the incident, the Chief Minister said strong action would be taken against the guilty officials.

Bahuguna also announced a compensation of Rs one lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to each injured. He also ordered a survey of all the bridges in the state so that such incidents should recur.